Roxas drank himself to sleep, his body lazily occupying the floor as his wine stained lips stained the living room rug. He didn't bother to turn off the tv or even put away the unfinished food; his body just crashed right there between the couch and the coffee table.
"Rox." A voice intruded the blondes nightmares. "Roxas," the voice was clear but pained.
"M?" The passed out drunk could feel his mind being yanked away from his slumber.
"Rox," the voice was tired as Roxas' eyes struggled to stay closed. "Roxas." The voice was getting desperate as the blondes eyes flew open and his brain accepted being awake.
"What?" Roxas sat up slowly with a hand to his hungover head.
"Roxy!" Roxas heard the voice plead as he stood up and looked about.
"Axel!" Roxas ran over to the foot of the front door, where the naked redhead was stuck on his back. Both dried and fresh blood marked his pale chest and stomach, and bright crimson copper leaked steadily from his nose and eyebrow.
"Can't move." Axel said before he coughed roughly.
"How long have you been lying here?" Roxas could only wonder aloud.
"I dunno." Axel said as Roxas put his hands under Axels arms and began to drag him into his en suite bathroom.
"Shower than sleep." Roxas shared the itinerary as he left Axel by the bathroom door in order to prep the large walk in shower. After stripping to make washing Axel easier, Roxas pulled the redhead into the shower and gently soaped his bruised body. The blood stopped running, but that didn't erase the pain that still existed throughout the redheads limbs, core, and head.
"All done." Roxas sighed as he stood up tall to stretch his back. He had been bending over, soaping everywhere three, four times over; he even shampooed the long red dry strands of hair twice and left the conditioner in for over five minutes.
Roxas towel dried both bodies before he once more cautiously pulled Axels body by his bed.
"I don't think I'm strong enough." Roxas frowned down at Axel, but the redhead didn't seem to care.
"Pillow and blanket." Axel moaned with closed eyes and Roxas nodded. He set up pillows and blankets on the floor as cozy as he could before he helped Axel to get comfortable.
"Better?" Roxas asked with a small smile, unable to justify why he was so relieved, happy even, to have the redhead back.
"Mhm," Axel exhaled deeply, his mind slowly turning off.
"Goodnight." Roxas curled up to Axel, not surprised that Axel didn't hold him given the past couple weeks events.
The blonde struggled to get a peaceful sleep, but he was relieved to see that Axels body did not share the same problem. The poor redhead slept like a log, snoring and unmoving even as Roxas was fixing himself lunch.
"He's still asleep?" Demyx asked after he and Roxas finished their movie. Roxas had invited the taller blonde assuming that he'd want to see Axel, but Demyx didn't seemed convinced until Roxas mentioned that he planned on watching the new comedy.
"Mhm," Roxas shut the bedroom door behind him after a quick check on the exhausted redhead.
"Damn!" Demyx shook his head. "Xemnas must have really let him have it." Demyx stood up with a prolonged stretch. Roxas knew he couldn't mention the real reason why Xemnas had punished the redhead, so he made up the all too believable lie that Axel had made some snarky comment that landed him in trouble.
"You leaving?" Roxas asked as Demyx aimed for the door. Truth be told, as annoying as the lazy musician could be, at least he provided company.
"Yeah. Zexion should be taking his mid-day break and I'm feeling particularly horny so," Demyx scratched the back of his head. "See ya!" Demyx winked before he left.
"Bye." Roxas said before he sank back into the couch. He barely kept his eyes on the tv for twenty minutes before boredom drove him away. He made sure Axel was still sleeping soundly before his curiosity gave him an idea.
He wondered if Saix had been freed.
A shiver nearly went down his spine as he went in the elevators, aware of what he was actually about to do. He must have been crazy or bored beyond description to willingly visit Saix's apartment. The entire year he spent living there when he was training was absolute torture. Saix may have had more elegant furniture than Axel, more modern appliances and paintings, but those luxuries only scarred the once delicate blonde.
Roxas stood outside the front door, not sure what he'd do or say once Saix opened, but still there was no real guarantee of that anyway. He knocked but got no answer. He knocked again, but nothing. He decided to punch in his code on the electronic keypad, but he realized that the green 'okay' light was already on. With a deep breath, he opened the door.
"Saix?" Roxas peered inside before he gently shut the door behind him. "Hello?" Roxas looked around the open concept kitchen and living room. It was the same layout as Axels, the same as every other members apartment, just decorated differently.
"Saix?" Roxas asked again as he went to the only bedroom and knocked the barely unclosed door to a narrow opening.
"You in there?" Roxas asked before he pushed it open. The entire flat was empty.
"He must still be locked up." Roxas sighed before he looked back to the door. He knew he should have left, but something told him to explore. For the most part, Saix's room matched his personality. Clean and simple. He had no paintings in his room, no decorations. Roxas opened the closet to see mostly clothes and one shoe box, despite the many pair of shoes that were organized on a proper device.
As Roxas suspected, the shoe box didn't have any shoes inside. Instead, there were letters and a few pictures. Roxas couldn't recognize the people in pictures, except for one. Axel. He must have been just a small child, no more than eight years old. He and Saix were sitting side by side, smiling at the camera with pure joy.
Roxas couldn't help but smile back. It was refreshing to see a bit of good in an environment filled with bad.
"I told him to throw that out years ago."
"Superior!" Roxas jumped out of skin as he dropped the photograph and grabbed his chest in shock.
"I'm surprised you aren't used to these situations by now." Xemnas almost chuckled.
"You, you aren't doing this on purpose, are you?" Roxas couldn't control his tongue from asking.
"Doing what?" Xemnas asked with a raised eyebrow.
"Showing up behind me, following me." Roxas gulped. At that Xemnas let out a real, hearty chuckle.
"You really think that I, leader of the Organization, have nothing better to do than spy on you?" Xemnas shook his head. "It is nothing more than mere coincidence that we share overlapping interests."
"Overlapping interests?" Roxas asked back.
"Well, I'm interested in Saix, you Axel. Obviously they proved they still have a connection."
"Why did you threaten to kill Axel if Saix didn't dump him?" Roxas asked, still sitting on the carpet of Saixs closet as Xemnas remained at the closet door.
"Who told you that?" Xemnas eyes narrowed in.
"Saix only told us cause he thought you were going to kill him anyway. But why? Do you really love him that much?"
"It is no concern of yours. Now, what are you doing here? You're trespassing. And snooping. What reason do you have?"
"You freed Axel so I wanted to see if you released Saix too." Roxas said innocently.
"I have." Xemnas said dryly.
"So, where is he?"
"He's in my living quarters, where I can take care of him. Would you like to visit him?" Xemnas asked, and sole curiosity drove Roxas to nod. He could only wonder what Xemnas' flat looked like.
"Follow me." Xemnas ordered, so Roxas quickly returned the shoe box contents to its place and followed after the superior down to his floor. After Xemnas opened the front door, Roxas was beyond surprised to see that Xemnas' flat looked far more 'normal' than he imagined. There was a black leather sofa, a good sized tv mounted on the wall, and a large kitchen table stacked with documents and pictures of men's faces, some with large red X's, some bare.
"In here." Xemnas motioned to his bedroom door as Roxas prayed that it wasn't some sort of trap. What if Saix was still in the dungeon and now the superior was going to torture him? Roxas' pulse increased just as he looked inside the bedroom to see Saix breathing heavily on Xemnas' large round bed. The blue haired man was lying face down, his lower half covered by the sheets but naked underneath.
"Here you are, my prince." Xemnas said as he placed a glass of water on his side table. "And I found the cream. Allow me to apply it." Xemnas put a finger to his lips to silence Roxas, whom Saix had yet to notice with his face in the sheets. Roxas nodded that he understood as Xemnas slowly pulled the sheets down Saix's ass.
Roxas rushed both hands to cover his mouth, unable to fathom how Xemnas could claim love for Saix, yet do something so painful to him.
"Feeling better?" Xemnas asked as he put the cream on his hands and then eyed his target: Saix's red, blue, and black ass. The red was from the paddle marks and the blood that rose to the skin. The blue was from the deep set bruises that would no doubt prevent Saix from sitting comfortably for a while. The black was from ink. A tattoo. A large tattoo. Across Saix's left check were the letters XEM, with NAS covering his entire right check. The letters were thick and bold, and Saix was clearly shivering in pain as Roxas watched silently.
"Ah!" Saix shuddered into the bedding as Xemnas' hands made contact with his tortured skin.
"Sh, its alright." Xemnas massaged his hands in gentle circles.
"Please, it hurts so bad!" Roxas had never heard such a whine escape Saix's lips.
"Enough of that. Pain is the best teacher for your mistakes. Are you ready?"
"R-ready for what?" Saix turned his head to look up at Xemnas, on the opposite side that Roxas stood, but Xemnas pushed his face back into the bedding gently.
"I am going to set your new tattoo." Xemnas explained.
"Will, will it hurt, Superior?"
"If it wouldn't hurt, it wouldn't need to be done." Xemnas calmly ran his fingers through Saix's sweaty hair.
"I, I'm begging you," Saix was clearly fighting back tears. "Forgive me?"
"I already have." Xemnas said, but he wasn't finished. "I've forgiven you for the horrible actions you took against me. However, like a parent must punish their ill behaved child, so I must punish you, or you may never truly learn your lesson."
"I've learned! I've learned my lesson." Saix panted in pain and fear.
"This will be end of your physical punishment. Be my proud warrior and take it like a true member of the organization."
"My lord," Saix kept his head on the bedding but twisted it to the side. "Have you not tortured me enough? I have been starved, denied water, beaten, raped," Saix let out a soft sob. "I can not handle any more. You wanted to break me. You have succeeded." He let out a whimper as Xemnas let out a subtle scoff.
"I had to break you. You broke my heart. It is the only way to train you. From now on, anyone stupid enough to attempt sexual relations with you will see that you are my territory. Your body belongs to me. I cannot force your heart to want me but I will force you to be obedient." Xemnas' tone became overwhelmingly strict. "You will do what I say exactly when I say it! You will answer to me and me alone! You will look at no other man or woman and you will lie next to me every night from here on out!" He said with a voice so authoritative it scared Saix into cries.
"I said I was sorry! I'm so sorry! I didn't mean anything by what I did!" Saix whined through tears.
"You betrayed me and defiled your body! You knew exactly what you were doing and must accept the punishment!" Xemnas argued back.
"You've punished me enough!" Saix screamed as Xemnas' eyes went wide. "Have mercy!" Saix's body shook as he begged.
"Am I not showing you mercy?" Xemnas whispered. It went deathly still before Xemnas' eyes were taken over with rage. "Have you not given me reason to kill you?" In a fit of rage, Xemnas threw both of his hands around Saix's neck and began to squeeze.
Roxas had a hard time watching silently, but he knew better than to make his presence obvious while Xemnas was in a killing mood. If he could strangle the one he claimed to love, surely he would do far worse to Roxas.
Saix gasped as his fingers rushed to Xemnas' strong hands.
"I will not kill you." Xemnas let go, leaving Saix to huff, pant, and choke on air itself. "It is because I love you I am showing mercy." Xemnas took deep breaths as well as he called himself down.
"How?" Saix coughed. "How can you say you love me?" He wept loudly as Xemnas let out a deep breath.
"You realize that everything I have done, I've done with your life in mind. I have made many sacrifices and many decisions that have cost me munny and time and energy, all to keep you as safe as I can. I have claimed you as my own, the ultimate sacrifice, just to keep a closer eye on you. And yet like an ungrateful brat you fail to see the maturity in my choices and blatantly disobey me. And now you lie here, at rock bottom, and dare to question the validity of my affection? I was going to show you grace and set your tattoo right in the middle. Now, now you will have one on each side and I will be sure it hurts as much as it can so that you can realize just how much pain I can inflict should you continue to give me a reason!" Xemnas used a voice that boomed so loudly it shook Roxas' veins.
Without further warning, Xemnas slapped Saix's left cheek as hard as he possibly could, causing Saix to let out a terrifying shriek while Roxas gulped.
Before Saix could catch his breath, Xemnas spanked the other side just as hard.
Roxas felt his stomach turn, so he subconsciously took a step backwards.
"You will lie here until I return. You are not to move for any reason until I give you one." Xemnas stood up and silently ushered Roxas and himself out of the bedroom. He shut the door behind him, but it wasn't enough to drown out the screams that Saix let out.
Roxas didn't know what to say so he stayed quiet, hoping he could retreat back to Axels suite and escape the wrath of the Superior.
Before he could attempt to leave, Xemnas grabbed his arm.
"Do you know why I brought you here?" His voice was calm. Too calm. Not a twisted, sly, creepy calm. The type that makes one wonder what hes thinking, one that reflects the fact that his mind is buzzing.
"No," Roxas answered with an honest shake of his head.
"I," the superior paused to think. "I wanted someone to see how I," he stopped once more. "Get out." He whispered quickly.
"Yes sir!" Roxas didn't question him and left.
When the blonde retuned to Axels suite, he was quick to make sure that the redhead was safe.
"You okay?" Roxas asked when he saw Axel sitting up in bed.
"Tired." Axel let out a sigh.
"Just rest." Roxas advised, but things were not that simple.
Xemnas soon entered the eighth floor suite and informed Axel that he was to return to work the next day.
"He can barely stand." Roxas informed the Superior.
"What happened to my time off?" Axel grunted as he asked in pain.
"It is forfeit." Xemnas said clearly. "Don't worry, you will be doing clerical work until you are physically ready. Report to my office at five in the morning." Xemnas said before he left.
"Shit," Axel grunted. It was nearly midnight already and he was exhausted.
"Lets just rest until you have to be awake. Would you like me to set an alarm for you?" Roxas offered.
"Yeah, thanks." Axel said before he lied back down in bed.
"No problem." Roxas set an alarm on the clock on the nightstand.
"Why?" Axel asked with a suspiciously raised eyebrow.
"Why what?" Roxas was confused by the random question.
"Why are you being nice to me after you snitched on Saix and me?"
Roxas shrugged. "I didn't mean for things to get so crazy. I'm sorry." Roxas felt a bit guilty. "But at least Xemnas forgave Saix and he didn't kill him!" Roxas tried to think of the positives.
"You just love to make your life that much harder, don't you?" Axel let out a sigh with a shake of his head.
"Look I said I'm sorry." Roxas didn't know what else to say or do.
"Saix will try to kill you. He has to. I don't know why I haven't since I woke up." Axel looked at a confused Roxas. "You're a snitch. You realize that karma will get you."
Roxas couldn't hide how uneasy Axels words had made him.
"All I can say is that the Superior likes me all of a sudden. I wouldn't piss him off any more than you already have." Roxas held his ground as he went into the living room and closed Axels door behind him.
Something about that last conversation with Axel made him feel rather confident, but he knew that his bravery was more in spirit than in skill. He knew without a doubt that Axel could kill him, and wouldn't hesitate if given more of a reason than he already had.
After spending half of the day killing time with some books he picked up from the library, Roxas decided to check in on the redhead. He was nowhere to be found until Roxas remembered that he would be working in the office with Xemnas, so the blonde distracted himself with Demyx for a few more hours until he returned to Axels suite late in the night.
"Well, I see you're bored again." Axel remained still on the bed.
"You're still here?" Roxas rubbed it in.
"I can't move, idiot." Axel scoffed.
"Howd you get to Xemnas' office?" Roxas caught Axels words.
"You know what I meant. I can't get far on my own." Axel looked away.
"Alright, let's get you ready for bed." Roxas got ready to lift as much of Axels weight as he could before Axel chuckled.
"I still do not understand why you help me. I'll get even with you once I get the chance. You will feel the pain I just endured." Axel threatened with a smile.
"Look I'm trying to help you right now, no need to be an ass." Roxas rolled his eyes. The redhead kept silent as Roxas cleaned him and aided him back into bed. The blonde left for a few moments to prepare food and began to bring a spoonful of soup for Axel when the redhead turned aside.
"Open up," Roxas neared the spoon to Axels closed lips.
"M," Axel gave out a grunt of disapproval.
"Not hungry?" Roxas knew this to be false but he asked anyway.
"Poison." Axel looked Roxas in the eye.
"By whom?" Roxas couldn't fathom an answer.
"You." Axel whispered.
"Me?" After the initial shock wore off, Roxas let out a sincere laugh. "Why the hell would I poison you?"
"You're jealous of the things I did with Saix. You must be, otherwise you wouldn't have ratted us out to the superior. That, or you realized just how serious I was when I said I'd get my revenge." Axels eyes looked brave on the surface but Roxas could see his desperation.
"If I wanted you dead I would have left you to starve in the dungeon."
"Why didn't you?" Axel asked, his voice sounding sincere.
"Because," Roxas shrugged. Before he could think about the weight of his words, he spoke. "I dont know, I was bored." He froze once his confession escaped his lips.
"I see." Axel cleared his throat.
"I do not wish to hurt you, Axel." Roxas stirred the soup aimlessly. "I'm not you're enemy. I don't want life to be any more complicated and painful than it already is. Lets just stop this pointless drama and move on already." Roxas said what seemed logical to him.
"Once I'm healed, I'll put an end to this pointless drama." Axel nodded.
"Good." Roxas smiled.
"I'm going to kill you." Axel smiled back. At such words, Roxas could feel a shiver trail up his spine like a cautious warning.
"Why?"
"Because," Axel inhaled deep as he looked the blonde in the eye. "I'm not bored anymore."
"You will not hurt me." Roxas kept his ground.
"Not yet." Axel raised his eyebrows flirtatiously.
"No more threats Axel. You don't fool me and it's starting to get annoying." Roxas sighed.
"You think I'm joking?" Axel began to get angry.
"You owe me your life after I saved you from our last mission and I showed you mercy while you were in that dungeon so if I were you I'd start apologizing before I get tired of taking care of you."
"Mercy?! It's your fault I was stuck in there! You complicated everything! Life was just fine before you came here!" Axel screamed.
"I didn't ask for you to kidnap me!" Roxas yelled loudly as he threw the bowl of soup against the wall. The ceramic bowl shattered and its contents stained the carpet.
"I saved your life! Whether you saw it or understood it or not, I saved you! You're on your own now and the second I can, I'm claiming the life I should have taken from you." Axel huffed.
"Go ahead. Try. Cause you're on your own." Roxas grabbed Axel's arm and roughly yanked him off of his bed.
"Ow!" Axels bruised body was too weak to keep up. Roxas dragged the redhead to the patio outside and locked him there before he went back to the kitchen and poured himself a bowl of soup.
Author's Note: HAPPY AKUROKU DAY! I've been very sick all week so I nearly forgot until just now. Hope it brightens your day, look for updates and shortly I will begin posting my new SOROKU. Living Legacy, Silent Sacrifice, Sarabellum